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Friday, March 18, 2011

One Proud Mamma: A Grade 8 Parent/Teacher Conference

This is awarded to my eldest son C. It was the first Parent/Teacher meeting we've gone to where we didn't spend approximately forty-five minutes telling him what he is doing wrong and what he needs to improve on. Where he's disorganized and what we were going to do to "fix" it. Discussions about his absences, chronic lates, being bullied, not getting along with any of his peers, and so on. No asking why he doesn't have his portfolio of his work to show us.

This term (term 2), was the first term that I can remember that he seemed to just turn things around. The stars aligned and all was good with the world. Well with C's world. We all know when a child turns 13 and the hormones start brewing full steam they begin sharing the one "spare" brain cell with their group of friends. This means you spend a lot of time staring at your child with a blank expression, all the while asking yourself, "my kid can't really be that stupid, can he/she?". The period of time where you give up getting angry over them doing a crappy job on their chores, if they do them at all, and just help them out or do it all yourself. Trust me, it's less stressful on you this way. C surprised me and had his teacher close to tears. She said and I quote,"I need to stop this here before I cry". She was that proud of his improvement.

He has improved so much. He is taking responsibility for things. Today he was away from school because he needed to see the orthodontist for a consult, and then a trip to the optometrist. Yet, while I was in the car nursing L, he snuck inside to put the last bit of his portfolio together to show of his work. His success, his not so successful work and what he wants to improve. Three months ago he never would have done that. C would not have cared and just sat there while we told him what was wrong with him. (three months ago, that portfolio was "lost" under his bed). He is seeing that if he slows down that his work is much better. The "connect" between what he sees is going on and what his teacher sees is becoming more cohesive. His peers at his table are starting to ask him for help and seeing him as part of the group instead of an annoyance. The teacher said he is starting to hold his own. He is starting to complete his work, show effort. She is seeing that he understands his work, just not taking the time to slow down and show that he understands. She is seeing that he is starting to notice this as well and trying to take the time to slow down and show her he understands. He is also beginning to ask for help a lot more. I have also noticed that there are less complaints about being "bullied" and kids "hating" him when he comes home. He's talking more about things at the dinner table. This is all coinciding with his promotion at Cadets. He's taking on more of a leadership role there as well.

I needed to laugh because he was so embarrassed over the praise we were all giving him. Both his teacher and I said that this was the dream parent/teacher meeting. It was mostly praises and it was all of ten minutes in total. We of course told him not to let it go to his head. Not to stop improving, but instead to keep going onward like he was as it would improve his successes in the future.

I am so so proud of my boy. My only regret was that my husband wasn't there to revel in the praises over our son with me.